Guides/Payroll
I use GustoHow to set up Gusto payroll
Every screen Gusto walks you through, in order, with what I’d do differently. My setup took about an hour.
Shanin Drucquer, owner of Iconic LandscapingGusto user since 2024 · Updated September 2026
$100 Visa gift card after your first payroll, through my referral link.
Have these ready
- Your EIN and legal business name, exactly as the IRS has them
- Which federal form the IRS assigned you: 941 or 944
- A business checking account (not savings)
- State withholding and unemployment account numbers
- Each person’s email address, so they can fill in their own forms
Step 1 of 10 · 2 min
Tell Gusto who you pay
Pick everyone you’ll pay: yourself as a W-2 employee, employees in the US, contractors, or vendors. Your answers decide which steps you see next.
Start from my referral link, not after you’ve signed up. The $100 gift card only tracks if you create your account through it.
GustoWho will you pay?
Select all that apply
- Myself, as a W-2 employee
- Employees in the US
- Contractors in the US
- Vendors
Screens are recreated with example data. Step 2 of 10 · 5 min
Answer a few questions and pick a plan
Gusto asks about your team and payroll, then recommends a plan, add-ons, and benefits. Choose Edit next to anything you want to change, then Start with this package.
What happened to me
Skip the add-ons you don’t need yet
Gusto pushes HR and benefits add-ons, and it keeps asking after you sign up. Take only what you need now. You can add anything later.
GustoRecommended for you
Edit anytime
- PlanSimple
- Add-onsEdit
- Benefits and insuranceEdit
Step 3 of 10 · 3 min
Add a second admin and your company address
Add another admin if someone helps you run payroll. Then enter your physical business address, phone number, and mailing address. A PO box works for mail, but not as the business address.
GustoCompany address
Used for tax mail
Business address
2140 Oak Ridge Rd
Mailing address
Same as business address
Step 4 of 10 · 5 min
Enter your federal tax information
Your EIN, company type, legal name as the IRS has it, any DBA, the address the IRS has on file, and the federal form you were assigned. Never enter an SSN in place of the EIN.
What happened to me
Copy your filing frequency from your paperwork
I entered the wrong filing frequency and got a letter from the government. I uploaded it to Gusto, they confirmed the taxes were already paid, and it was closed within a week.
GustoFederal tax information
Must match IRS records
Legal entity name
Oak Ridge Landscaping LLC
Federal EIN
12-3456789
Federal filing form
Form 941 (quarterly)
Use the form the IRS assigned you
Step 5 of 10 · 5 min
Add and verify your bank account
Link your checking account with your bank login through Plaid, which verifies it instantly. Or enter your numbers by hand and confirm two small test deposits later.
GustoVerify your bank account
Checking accounts only
- Log in to your bank (instant)
- Enter numbers and verify test deposits
Step 6 of 10 · 1 min
Choose your direct deposit speed
Next-day, 2-day, or 4-day. Faster means you can run payroll closer to payday.
GustoDirect deposit speed
How far ahead you run payroll
- Next-day
- 2-day
- 4-day
Step 7 of 10 · 3 min
Set your pay schedule
Weekly, every other week, twice a month, or monthly. For hourly people, leave at least four business days between the end of the pay period and payday so you have time to review hours.
GustoPay schedule
Recommended
How often
Every other week
First payday
Friday, October 10
Step 8 of 10 · 5 min
Add yourself to payroll
If you pay yourself, fill in your own profile: work location, job title, pay, SSN, and home address. I pay myself this way through my LLC.
GustoYour employee profile
Add yourself to payroll
Job title
Owner
Work location
2140 Oak Ridge Rd
Step 9 of 10 · 20 min
Add your team, state taxes, and sign
The last stretch is a list: invite your team, enter state tax details, sign Form 8655 so Gusto can file and pay taxes for you, and verify test deposits if you used them. Gusto may also ask for documents like a photo ID or IRS letter; they review them within a business day.
You’ll need: State tax account numbers, Team email addresses
What happened to me
Check every home address
Each person enters their own SSN, birth date, and address. One of my employees had the wrong address on file, and it turned into a tax notice. Gusto sorted it out with me on the phone, but a quick check would have skipped it.
GustoFinish setting up payroll
4 tasks
- Add team membersDone
- State tax detailsDone
- Sign Form 8655Done
- Maria’s onboardingWaiting on Maria
Step 10 of 10 · 5 min
Run your first payroll
Enter hours, review the totals and the amount coming out of your account, and submit. How far ahead you submit depends on the deposit speed you picked.
This is the step that unlocks the $100. Run it for at least one person, even yourself.
GustoReview payroll
Pay date Fri, Oct 10
- Gross pay
- $6,420.00
- Employee taxes and deductions
- −$1,118.52
- Employer taxes
- $491.13
- Total debit from checking
- $6,911.13
Step 1 of 10 · Tell Gusto who you pay
Who will you pay?
Select all that apply
- Myself, as a W-2 employee
- Employees in the US
- Contractors in the US
- Vendors
Recreated with example data
After your first payroll
Taxes file themselves
Gusto files and pays payroll taxes from each run, starting with the quarter of your first payroll.
Hours go in each pay period
I track hours in Jobber and enter them in Gusto before each run.
Year-end forms are automatic
W-2s and 1099s are generated in January and shared with your people.
Common questions
How long does Gusto setup take?
About an hour for me, with my EIN and state tax numbers ready. Manual bank verification and any document requests can add a day or so.
Can I pay myself through Gusto as a single-member LLC?
Yes. I pay myself through Gusto. How you should pay yourself depends on how your LLC is taxed, so check with your accountant.
Will Gusto file taxes for quarters before I joined?
No. Gusto starts filing with the quarter of your first payroll. If you missed an earlier quarter, even a $0 one, you file it directly with the agency.
What documents might Gusto ask for?
Sometimes a photo ID of the person signing, your IRS EIN letter (CP575 or 147-C), a recent bank statement, or your formation documents. You can’t finish setup until you respond.
How much does Gusto cost?
Simple is $49 + $6/person, and Plus is $80 + $12/person. Plus adds time tracking, next-day deposits, and payroll in more than one state.
Ready to set it up?
Sign up through my link and run your first payroll, and Gusto sends you a $100 Visa gift card.
Start with GustoHow to run your first payroll in Gusto →
The next step
Gusto pricing →
Every plan, add-on, and fee
My Gusto review →
What it costs and what bugs me
Gusto vs QuickBooks Payroll →
Priced at your team size
I may earn a referral fee from these links, at no cost to you. How I make money
Gusto · from $49/mo
$100 after your first payroll